North Korea Launches Three Short-Range Ballistic Missiles

The missiles flew about 250km and landed into the waters off North Korea.

North Korea has fired three short-range ballistic missiles into waters off its east coast, South Korean and U.S. military report.

The U.S. military said the missile launches appear to have failed, exploding in flight or immediately after take-off. They also said the launches posed no threat to Guam or North America, Fairfax media reports.

"The first and third missiles at 11.49 am and 12.19 pm failed in flight. The second missile launch at 12.07 pm appears to have blown up almost immediately," U.S. Pacific Command said.

According to Sky News, the Joint Chiefs of Staff initially described the object as an "unidentified projectile," saying it was launched from the eastern region of Gangwon.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency and Japan's Kyodo news service said it may have been a ballistic missile. The agencies did not cite source, Sky News reports.

The news comes just hours after Japan imposed tough new sanctions against North Korea following the reclusive country's repeated missile launches.